Saudi Arabia Between the USA and China in the First Decades of the XXI Century: Successeful Balancing

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of relations between Saudi Arabia and its two largest partners – the United States, which is its strategic ally, and China, relations with which are rapidly developing, covering ever new areas of cooperation. Each of these states, from the Saudi point of view, has its own advantages and disadvantages that limit its capabilities. The article will examine the history of Saudi Arabia establishing a strategic partnership with these states, the main directions of their cooperation, and the extent to which each of them can help to realize its strategic goals including in the program – National Vision 2030. The USA and China act as competitors, not only at the global level, but also in the Middle East region. However, the development of relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States, on the one hand, as well as Saudi Arabia and China, meets its national interests, and not the desire to play on their contradictions. For their part, the Saudi Kingdom with its energy, financial resources and political influence in the Arab and Muslim worlds, is interesting to both of them, from a strategic, geopolitical and economic point of view. The author presented different assessments of Saudi-American and Saudi-Chinese interactions which were articulated by experts and analysts from Russia, the USA and Saudi Arabia and compared them. We can agree with the opinion of Saudi experts and politicians that their country do not desire to make a choice between these partners which are very useful to Saudi Arabia and shear with it important political approaches.